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3 surprising prospects who will shine at Astros spring training in 2024
Spring training is coming up fast and the Astros have some really interesting prospects that could make some waves.
While there are still some free agents that need to be sorted out, the offseason is clearly winding down with spring training just a couple of weeks away. This is particularly true for the the Houston Astros as they finally made their big move with the addition of Josh Hader to their bullpen. With the move, the Astros appear to be largely done with making moves and look as though they are in a good spot heading into spring training.
One of the more exciting parts of spring training is getting to see the prospects that are expected to play a part of a team's future play in the field. While the games "don't count" and most of the guys that the Astros decide to bring into camp have little to no chance of making the team right away, what spring training does provide is an opportunity to get on fans' and the team's radars especially when it comes to the players that aren't necessarily considered top prospects just yet.
For this exercise, we are going to look at some of the prospects that could show out this spring who aren't the big name guys. For guys like Jacob Melton, Spencer Arrighetti, and Joey Loperfido, they are known commodities at this point and no one should be surprised if they have good springs. What is fun, though, is to see prospects that don't get a ton of press (yet) and who force themselves into consideration for big league roster spots down the line.
With that in mind, here is a look at a few of the Astros' prospects that could surprise folks and have some big performances in spring training.
Will Wagner
While his dad put together a big league career as a reliever that is Hall of Fame worthy, Will Wagner has forged his own baseball career as an infielder. After playing for four years at Liberty University, the Astros selected Wagner with their 18th round pick in the 2021 draft. That pick has proven to be a bargain as Wagner has quietly established himself as one of the better bats in Houston's farm system.
Wagner can just flat out hit. While he does have some limited upside due to a relative lack of power, his strike zone awareness is top notch and over the last three seasons, he has put up a .290/.390/.440 slash line in the minors while mashing his way all the way to Triple-A. A strong performance in the Arizona Fall League in 2022 only cemented his status as a guy to keep an eye on.
Given his profile, Wagner is exactly the kind of guy that could make some waves in spring training. He knows what he wants to do at the plate and his experience should allow him to immediately make an impact in spring games while everyone is trying to get into game shape. While there is little chance that he makes the big league roster right out of spring given that the Astros' infield is largely set already, don't be surprised if he makes some noise and sticks around big league camp for a while especially if he gets consideration as an lefty hitting outfield option.
Rhett Kouba
Pitchers often enter spring training ahead of hitters in terms of being ready to start the season. Hitters just take a little while to get used to facing live pitching and establishing their timing at the plate. While Rhett Kouba doesn't have the overpowering stuff that one normally associates with being a top pitching prospect, he does have a lot going for him that could prime him for a big spring training in 2024.
Kouba features a fastball that generally sits in the low 90's that hitters have trouble picking up out of his hand. His changeup is at least a plus offering as it tunnels well with his fastball and gives him a weapon against hitters from both sides of the plate and his slider gives righty hitters fits. Most importantly, he commands all of his pitches exceedingly well and uses that command to pound the strike zone.
Especially early on while hitters are still getting their feet under them, pitchers like Kouba who throw a lot of strikes can look particularly good in spring training. It is tough enough to go from the offseason to facing guys who are actively trying to get them to miss. In the case of Kouba, he isn't likely to give hitter free passes by missing his spots, so hitters are going to have to be dialed in pretty quickly to do any damage against him.
Is Kouba likely to make the club out of spring? No, he isn't. The Astros already don't have a lot of space for another rotation arm and even if they go with a young guy out of spring, prospects like Spencer Arrighetti and Colton Gordon probably have a leg up due to their upside and the fact that they are also close to big league ready. With a strong spring, Kouba could still force himself into the conversation as a mid-season call-up if one of Houston's starters falters or gets hurt.
Quincy Hamilton
This one is a pretty deep cut as Quincy Hamilton isn't a guy that one would think that would warrant much attention. He isn't ranked among the Astros' top prospects by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline going into 2024 and being a fifth round pick in 2021 doesn't exactly bring a lot of name recognition his way.
However, don't be deceived by rankings because Hamilton can absolutely play. The 25 year old outfielder has a knack for getting on base, can steal bases (he had 27 steals in 2022), can play all three outfield positions, and possesses some pop in his bat. If not for a core muscle injury that cost him a big chunk of the second half of the 2023 season, he would probably be getting some more attention.
Assuming he is fully recovered from his injury, Hamilton could really shine in spring training. Pitchers often come out in spring training struggling to find their command and with Hamilton at the plate, that could mean he gets on-base a whole bunch where he can then show off his speed on the basepaths. He also has enough power to punish mistakes which are a bit more likely to happen during spring training.
The problem for Hamilton is that he has a bunch of guys ahead of him in the outfield pecking order. He does hit from the left side which certainly helps his cause, but Jacob Melton, Joey Loperfido, Colin Barber, and Justin Dirden are all probably ahead of him at the moment especially with Hamilton returning from injury. With a strong spring training, though, he could easily find himself in the mix prospect rankings be damned.
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